h+h, 10" x 8", acrylic on board, 1990. Artist's collection.

This small "celestial-scape" painting alludes to the differentiated levels of outer space which would in a couple of years become one of the key compositional elements of the Saint Helices compositions. I believe that all of the Saint Helices compositions are celestialscapes (new word) to some degree.

In this painting there is a pattern of semi-circular forms radiating from the lower right corner. Crossing the rhythm of that pattern are two cone forms which appear to be entering and exiting the atmosphere of the forward most spherical form. The "h"s were added as diagrammatic elements to enhance the surreal nature of the image. The "h"s have no intrinsic meaning other than to literally denote a condition of duality, and to visually connote the colors of the surrounding planets. At the very bottom of the front most sphere is a generalized rendering of an eye which suggests that the this spherical form is a figure. The activity in the black area represents the figure's personal psychic-cosmology that is separate from the literal cosmology in the upper left corner. The orientation of the shadow on the blue sphere in the upper right suggests that the source of light comes from in front of the image where a viewer would stand.